1. Technical Field
This document relates to methods and materials involved in tendon or ligament tissue engineering. For example, this document provides methods and materials for generating a composite of acellular tendon or ligament allograft slices seeded with cells and bundled into a graft for tissue repair.
2. Background Information
Tendon injuries are very common and place a large burden on the US economy. It has been estimated that more than 32 million patients sustain traumatic and overuse injuries to tendons and ligaments, at a cost of roughly $30 billion per year. Functional restoration of the injured tendon is still a great challenge. Similarly, ligaments, which are poorly vascularized, do not heal well and usually must be replaced after significant damage has occurred.